… and for mental health/fatigue, to take you out of that deep writer-thinking-mode and relax your brain muscles, I use a meditation app on my phone that takes ten minutes.The app is the Head Space app which has the first ten sessions for free so you can try it out. I bought the whole thing and use it most days.

Interesting techniques Julie. I do a variation on the first two and some slow pivot with legs bent. The last two I think would cause me more problems rather than fix them.
I have been looking into buying one of those desks which raise and lower so one can sit or stand. Have you considered that?

I’ve begun having a lot of back problems recently. I’ve started using a standing desk, and alternating has really helped me (you have to build up your standing time slowly). And I’ve also brought in a yoga regime. Every hour and a half, I have a quick break from writing and do 10 minutes of yoga. I’ve found it not only helps my body, but I feel more motivated to get back to writing again. Thanks for this post, I really enjoyed it – and I’m going to try the crossed knee bend, as I haven’t done that one before 🙂

Fantastic exercises, now I just have to motivate myself to do them before my back hurts. One thing I have found is that posture makes a big difference in back aches. My wife, a retired physical therapist, is always on me for posture. The other thing is that I use an ergo metric chair when on the computer. Mine has a kneeling pad on which I rest most of my weight and a small pad against which I rest my buttocks. This puts my spine is good alignment and gives back muscles less work to do.

Enjoy your winter. Here in the northern hemisphere we have highs in of 35 to 42 C. This is in spite of being at an altitude of 1500 meters. This is unusually hot for a June for us.

My back is messed up and have similar problems. It was interesting to see a few more exercises and stretches to do. Now, dont try to picture this being done by a big 425 lbs man sprawled out doing the.. There is just not a correct sized spoon or enough brain bleach to help you after that.

I find a spot of knitting does much the same job as the meditation app – gives me a different way to use my brain, to recalibrate it and clear it for another go at the intensity of writing. Hope yours is going well.

Thx so much for that – much needed. I still think that writer Brenda Ueland’s advice that writers have to walk 5 miles a day is sound! Not just for physical health but to create that psychic space. I followed that regimen at one point myself back in Philadelphia – not so much in Maine. Used to walk about 1.2 miles a day a few years back. Maybe it is time to get back on that horse before the snow flies!